McInnes ready to 'rip up the script' as Hearts chase title at Celtic

Coach Derek McInnes is intent on parking the controversy around refereeing decisions for another day as he challenged his “special” Hearts team to “rip up the script” by becoming champions of Scotland for the first time since 1960.

The Jambos will win the Premiership title if they avoid defeat on Saturday at second-placed Celtic, who were handed a lifeline on Wednesday when they defeated Motherwell with a contentiously awarded stoppage-time spot-kick.

If Hearts win the league, it would be the first team other than Glasgow giants Celtic or Rangers to clinch the title since Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen in 1985.

McInnes branded the Celtic penalty decision “disgusting” after his side’s victory over Falkirk on the same night, but said on Friday that he did not want to get bogged down in talk about referees.

“It’s a perfect ending to a season for the league, for Scottish football, for drama and excitement,” said McInnes ahead of Scotland’s first final-day title shootout since 1991 and his club’s biggest ever match. “It’s pure box office.

“I felt for a while it would go the full way, and we’ve been preparing for that.

“We knew we’d have to get good wins, and obviously Celtic in the last ... while have shown improvements. Fair play to them and to our boys for making this the situation.

“It’s important now that we have that one big performance in us to try and get over the line and get the title won. The confidence I feel in the players is so strong. We have to go there with courage, with belief and be bullish.”

Hearts will have fewer than 1,000 supporters at the 60,000-capacity Celtic Park but McInnes, whose side have been top since September, has no worries about his players’ readiness for the occasion.

“I’m not nervous about it, but dealing with nerves is part of professional sport, particularly when it gets to this stage,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of pressure on our lads for a long time now, but the players have dealt with it brilliantly. I’m actually not concerned with that side of it.”